The heightened interest in quarterback Ryan Tannehill might make the Vikings’ No. 3 pick attractive to someone. But why should the Colts care?

David J. Phillip, Associated Press

Rand: Vikings' draft pick is a hot topic

April 13, 2012 - 6:50 AM

Colts owner Jim Irsay took to Twitter earlier this week and created speculation about a possible trade that a quarterback-hungry team might be interested in making in the NFL draft.

It would have been surprising if he was talking about his own team, Indianapolis, which has the No. 1 overall pick and almost certainly will take Stanford QB Andrew Luck. The actual subject, though, was just as surprising: Irsay was taking about the Vikings and the No. 3 pick.

His tweet: "Tannehill is a hidden gem in this draft, a quiet secret who was always sneaking up to #3. You want him, you better talk to Zigi The Biggie!"

The first reference is to Ryan Tannehill, the Texas A&M quarterback who has been creeping up some experts' draft boards to the point that he might be considered by a team in need at No. 3 overall. And, yes, the second reference is to Vikings owner Zygi Wilf.

The obvious question for a Vikings fan: Is any team interested in that pick? Well, there is one particularly intriguing potential suitor: Miami. The Dolphins have the No. 8 pick, and their new offensive coordinator (Mike Sherman) was Tannehill's college coach at Texas A&M. They are in need of a franchise quarterback after swinging and missing at several other options.

Some have suggested the Vikings could get a second- and third-round pick if they swap No. 3 for No. 8 with the Dolphins. Among those making that suggestion: Bill Polian, the ex-Colts GM, now working for ESPN.

So the next obvious question: Why are these Colts guys taking such a keen interest in the Vikings? It's appreciated and all, since that swap with the Dolphins sounds like something Minnesota would do in a heartbeat, but still ... odd.

Could Luck, Robert Griffin III and Tannehill really go with the first three picks? Well, the last time quarterbacks went 1-2-3 was 1999, when Tim Couch (Cleveland), Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia) and Akili Smith (Cincinnati) were taken.

If you want the Vikings to trade the pick to a team that wants Tannehill, perhaps you should do everything in your power to make sure that illustrious history advances no further than this page. Either that or communicate with anyone you know in Indianapolis who has the power to influence the draft.